Improvement in floor-protectors



which may or may not be used.

"UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WVILLIAM W. WADSWORTH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

lM PROVEM ENT IN FLOOR-PROTECTO RS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 196,319, dated October 23, 1877; application filed August 3, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM W.'WAns- WORTH, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented-certain Improvements in Floor-Protectors, of which the following is a specification My invention relates to that class of floorprotectors' known to the trade as plain zinc boards, as distinguished from those having a foundation of wood or other material covered with metal. In aboard of this character it is of the utmostimportance that the edge be stiflened, and it is highly desirable that the same be given an ornamental appearance, also.

In the patent of John S. Brooks, dated J 11116 4, 1872, and reissued October 22, 1872, No.

5,106, the protector was formed of two sheets of metal, and a bead or rib was struck up through both sheets, near the edge, to stiffen and ornament it. This, however, involved the use of two sheets of metal in constructing the board. I find that one sheet of metal is suflicicnt if the edge can be sufficiently stiffened; and my present invention consists in the bead or rib for the edge of a floor-protector formed from one sheet or piece of metal, strengthened and stiffened by the reflexed edge of the sheet,

which is folded beneath'the rib to double the thickness of the metal at that point, and extends down from the crown of the bead to about the level of the floor, as will be hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical midsection through a circular floor-protector or stove-board, embodying my improvement. Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional detail, showing the construction of the bead or rib; Figs. 3, 4,

5, and 6 are modified forms of the same.

Let A represent the sheet-metal body of the board, (usually zinc,) and B a paper backing, I prefer to use it, but do not look upon it as wholly indispensable. At 0 is formed a bead or rib to stiffen the protector, and in the formation of this rib consists the novelty of our present invention.

In constructing the protector the surplus metal of the edge of the sheet is bent or spun back upon the body of the sheet itself, and then the bead or rib is struck rolled, or spiui in the double thickness formed by the reflexed margin, so that the crown of the rib will have two thicknesses of metal, and the edge a will extend to the inner edge of the bead,'or nearly so. When constructed as shown, the said edge will touch, or nearly touch, the floor when the protector is resting thereon. The exact sectional contour of the rib-or head is not essential. It may be a plain curve, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or have a projecting ledge, b, extendingbeyond it, as in Fig. 3; or it may be an inclined faced bead, as shown in Fig. 4, or be formed of several curves, as in Fig. 5.

itself. It may be arranged to touch and re; enforce it at the crown, as in Fig. 6.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- A floor-protector formed of one sheet of metal, and having a bead or rib at its edge, strengthened and stiffened by the reflexed edge of the sheet, which is folded beneath the bead to double the thickness thereof, the doubled metal extending down from the crownof the bead to about the level of the floor, substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WM. W. WADSWORTH.

Witnesses:

HENRY CoNNE'r'r, A. M. FRASER.

It is not absolutely essential that the reflexed edge have the same curve as the bead 

